Mini walnut basket shell

ABSTRACT

Mini Basket turns out to be a work of art. People who see them want them. Paint them red, white and blue and put on Christmas trees. Paint green for St. Patrick&#39;s Day (Irish). Women like them. They like to have them to mix with their other crafts they have in their China Cabinets and to buy at craft shows, where they would sell. Will be painted only for people who want them. Note: Baskets painted in only one color each, red, white or blue.

[0001] A mini walnut basket, article is provided comprising of a walnut shell made into a mini basket from a walnut shell in 4 parts. Part #1: Bottom of wide end is ground flat. Part #2: A ⅝″×{fraction (3/32)}″ ring washer to be added to flattened end or bottom of walnut shell. Part #3: A small quantity of glue is added to glue ⅝″×{fraction (3/32)}″ washer to bottom of shell flat end. Part#4: Copper washer clamped to center of bottom end of shell until glue sets up. Solidifies in 10 to 14 hours. Walnuts come in many sizes and shapes, normal ones are picked for mini walnut baskets for size and shape.

[0002] After copper ring washer is attached to walnut shell and is cured, it is then marked for cutting. It is marked in 4 places. 2 places each side opposite to one another. Marked for cutting into a mini basket: 1″ up from bottom, for smaller sizes, ¾″ up from bottom, varies in height. Each side of marking is on each side of ribs. Each walnut shell has 2 ribs.

[0003] Now walnut shell is ready to be cut into mini baskets. Cutting on marks already on walnut shell. Marks vary in height from bottom ¾″ to 1″, depending on size of walnuts. This after glue has cured and copper washer is quite firm. To take a handle grip, a handle must be made and attached to walnut shell. To handle walnut shells while cutting, I made a handle from a pair of pliers. A Dremel Highspeed cutting wheel, 30,000 rpms makes it necessary to have a handle for safety attached to walnut shell.

[0004] A pair of pliers is altered and ground to fit copper washer on bottom of walnut shells. Jaws of pliers are ground half round and make a good handle. A spring is attached to pliers handles to keep a grip on bottoms of walnut shell washers, ½″, {fraction (9/16)}″, ¾″ sizes. See FIGS. #1 and #2. _____

[0005] A high speed Dremel motor 30,000 rpms is used to cut walnut shells as they are as hard as iron. (safety has to be exercised) In cutting mini walnut basket shells, the pliers are held in left hand, Dremel motor is held in right hand. The walnut is resting on a block of wood (See FIG. #3.) in pliers jaws to steady walnut shell. Left hand rotates walnut shell to the right, right hand rotates Dremel cutting wheel to right and left. Each hand helps each other in cutting walnut shell. This method is used until a better way is found. See FIG. #4.

Subject Matter

[0006] A walnut shell is made into a MINI WALNUT SHELL BASKET with a copper ⅝″×{fraction (3/32)}″ washer glued to the bottom of the wide part of the walnut shell to form a bottom and hold walnut shell in an up-right position standing. Top part of shell is cut and saved to form a handle for the mini shell basket. After side pieces are cut out, ribs are saved for top handle.

Base Elements of Invention

[0007] A walnut shell to be cut with a Highspeed cutting wheel Dremel motor 30,000 rpms special cutting disc. The shell of a walnut is very hard, like iron. A handle had to be made. Designed from a pair of pliers to be attached to a walnut shell in order to control cutting with a highspeed motor and cutting disc wheel.

Outline of Subject Matter

[0008] A holding tray made to hold walnut shells for gluing washers onto bottom and let glue cure for 10 to 14 hours. Many are done at one time. After glue is cured, walnut shells are marked for cutting approximately ¾″ up from bottoms. Top half is marked for handle. After cutting, all shells are cleared of all nuts, membranes, and pulp and finished with a small grinding wheel to a finished MINI WALNUT SHELL BASKET from a walnut shell.

PREPARED DRAWINGS

[0009] FIG. #1: Sketch of jaws of pliers for gripping onto a copper washer at the bottom of the walnut shell for handling of the walnut shell for cutting into a mini walnut basket shell.

[0010] FIG. #2: A pair of pliers made into a handle for gripping onto a walnut shell showing spring to keep the jaws tight on the bottom of the shell by spring tension making walnut easy to handle and holding tight while cutting.

[0011] FIG. #3: A wood resting block for cutting walnut shells into mini baskets. While resting walnut shell on block and rotating while cutting. Within a pair of altered pliers in left hand makes walnut more steady for right hand with Dremel cutting tool. Resting block is steady block.

[0012] FIG. #4: A drawing of standard walnut shells ready to be cut into a mini walnut basket with all standard sizes for this group after washers are glued on. Left to right: 1. All sizes. 2. Marked for cutting. 3. Finished walnut basket after all nuts and pulp are removed from the inside of the shell and ground to a finished product with a small grinding wheel.

[0013] FIG. #5: A holding tray for handling walnut shells in process of holding until glue on the bottom of the shell washer is fully cured and walnuts are ready to be worked on such as marked for cutting, cleaning, finishing and grinding with a small grinding wheel and bottom washer is checked for level. Walnut basket shells can be placed in holding trays right-side up or upside down for handling or storing.

[0014] FIG. #6: Walnut shells of different sizes showing comparison in sizes but look the same. Some have more wrinkles than others and ways will be found to make a mini walnut basket better and faster.

[0015] FIG. #7: Showing plan view of table too holding tray used for curing glue and holding for 10 to 14 hours. Made form 2″×4″ soft wood material with hard wood frame. Showing with bottom platform.

[0016] FIG. #8: Side view of holding tray showing wood platforms showing second platform with 2 braces and top handle ½″ copper pipe with ¼ steel rod in center to tie ends together.

[0017] FIG. #9: End view of walnut holding tray showing height of second platform and width. Two aluminum braces {fraction (1/8)}″×1″ flat on each end. Bolted top and bottom end to second platform.

[0018] FIG. #10: Showing walnut with washer glued to bottom to enter holding tray. Hole in holding showing light taper in hole, depth of hole. Width of wood 2″×4″. Many different kinds of washers are used on bottom of the walnut shells ½″, ⅝″, and ¾ depending on size of the shell and the shape of the bottom.

[0019] FIG. #11: Showing corner of tray with rib notches in each hole which the rib of the walnut shell drops into and helps hold straight. Showing corner brace attached to the bottom corner of the tray.

[0020] FIG. #12: Showing 3 standard walnuts with rib views of different angles. Ribs on top half are left on for handles after walnuts cut to form a basket.

[0021] FIG. #13: Glue cured MINI BASKET WALNUT SHELL with washer in holding tray ready to be marked for cutting.

[0022] FIG. #14: Mini walnut shells ready to be marked for cutting into mini baskets showing dimensions with all washers glued to the bottoms.

[0023] FIG. #15: Finished MINI WALNUT SHELL BASKETS showing rib handles. A finished product.

DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

[0024] It is a novelty craft, and fun to make. I had to come up with ways and means to handle such a small article. I called on past experience to find ways to make a Mini Basket from a walnut shell. One has to wear safety equipment; goggles, air filter and have a dust fan to take dust out of the room or building. A walnut shell can make allot of dust. A handle to attach to the walnut shell for cutting was one answer.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

[0025] I had the idea for years, I started first on cocoa nuts to make a basket. They were mostly already cracked and impossible to cut at that time with the tools I had. Then I got the idea to make a basket from a Walnut Shell. They could not be cut with a hack saw. I got other ideas, a handle, and a high speed motor. The Dremel motor 30,000 rpms, that did it, with high speed cutting wheel or disc, cutting disc. 

1. I invented a mini basket from a walnut shell.
 2. I invented a method of cutting, carving, and designing a mini basket from a walnut.
 3. I invented the idea of painting mini walnut baskets red, white, and blue. Also, green for St. Patrick's Day, not all of them, but only for those who want them. Note: A different color for each basket of
 3. 4. I invented copper washers for the bottom of the walnut shell for a base for the shell to stand right-side up. Washers made from ½″ copper pipe ⅝″ O.D. cut into ⅛″ long. Glued to bottom of walnut shell baskets. Note: Then wooden disc inserted inside of copper ring to cover glue.
 5. I invented and designed a handle to handle a walnut shell for cutting into a walnut shell from a pair of pliers.
 6. I invented a wooden holding tray for mini walnut basket shells to hold in place while installing copper washers with glue on bottoms of the walnut shells and to stay in trays until glue is cured 10 to 14 hours. Walnut shells are in trays bottom side up after receiving copper washers and glued to keep washer in place on bottom of shells.
 7. I invented a ½″ wooden disc to be inserted inside of copper ½″ pipe ring on the bottom of the walnut shell to cover up glue ½″×{fraction (1/16)}″ long. Also glued to the bottom of the walnut shell inside of copper pipe ring ½″×{fraction (1/16)}″ long. Also glued to the bottom of the walnut shell inside of copper pipe ring ½″. Note: Larger washers take larger size wooden discs. {fraction (9/16)}″ & ⅝″.
 8. I invented the idea of gluing a United States penny (one cent) onto the bottom of the minibasket shell. (If legal)
 9. I invented the idea of a ⅝″ O.D. wooden disc {fraction (3/16)}″ long for the bottom of the mini walnut basket, made from ⅝″ dowel oak material. Note: or ½″ dowel materials.
 10. I invented the idea of a hard plastic ½″ plastic pipe rings cut to ⅝″ O.D. {fraction (3/16)}″ long for the bottom of the walnut mini baskets. Also ½″ wooden insert to be used inside ½″×{fraction (3/16)}″ glued inside of ring on bottom. ½″ dowel oak material ½″×⅛″ long to cover glue. Different kinds of washers will be used on bottom of the baskets. The shape of the bottoms of the shells calls for different ring washers. 